Cross tube for steering gears



May 12, 1925.

l.. R. BUCKENDALE CROSS TUBE FOR STEERING GEARS Filed March '7, 1924 y le Patented l May: 12,

UNITED STATES 1,537,330; PATENT OFFICE.

LAURENCE RAY BUOKENDALE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNO'R TO THE TIMKEN- DETROIT AXLE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CROSS TUBE FOR STEERING GEARS.

Application filed March?, 1924. SerialNo. 697,682.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that: I, LAURENCE RAY BUCK- nNIALE, a eitizenoot the United States, and a resident-oi the city ot' Detroit, in the county of Viayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in'Cross Tubes for Steering Gears, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates Vto cross tube for steering gear and has for its principal objects a steering gearoross tube in which the center distances/"can be easily adjusted and in which the distance from the center ot the. ball of the steering knuckle arm to the end of the cross tube `is reduced to a minimum, so as to avoid interference vbetween vthe cross tube and the wheel when tires 'of large section are used.

The invention consists lprincipally in providing a tubular mounting member or end litting for the ball of the steering knuckle arm at each end of the cross tubeand interposing a threaded bushing between said 2 tubular member and the cross tube. The

combinations` of and claimed.`

lIn the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1is a section of a cross tube for steering gear embodying my invention, ,one end portion thereof being shown in longitudinal section, i Fig. 2 is an end View thereof, A. Fig. 3 is a crossJ sectional vie/W. on the line 3-3 of Fig. '1, and 1 Fig.v 4 is a cross sectional view on the line of Fig. 1. j' j The steering knucklesl 1 of an autbmobile are commonly provided with projecting 1' arms 2, each 'ofwhich has a stem' 3 at the end parts hereinafter described `that' is provided with a vball or rounded knob 4, said ballsbetingdisposedv in the ends of thecrossftube v5, whereby the two steering 'knuckles' are operativelv connected. According to my invention, the cross-tube 5 prOperL-is threaded at each endto receive a split tubular sleeve or bushing 6 thatis `threaded interiorly and exteriorly. 'Ihreadi ed onto/.each sleeve 6 is atubular end fitting 7 that is split endwise. 'The sleeve 6 may be provided with lugs Gf-:at the-end through which extends a bolt Shi-The end fitting 7 `is'provided with lugs 8,on .either side of the split therein, through which extend bolt-s spring 14 is mounted on each plunger-'12 invention further consists in the Yparts and Y IUl 9, whereby the tting may be clamped onto the split sleeve 6, the split slee-ve being there- Vby clamped to the cross'tube 5.

yEach end tting 7 is provided with an opening in the top to permit thestem 3 and A .ball 4 of the steering knuckle arm to ex- 60 tend intothe'same. The opening is closed by a suitable plate 10 that is perforated to accommodate the stem 3.

Seated in the closed end of each end titting is a disk or seat 11 that isfprovided GJ with a suitable concavedepression for-the ball 4 of the steering. knuckle arm 2. A plunger 12 mountedl in the bore of each fitting 7 is provided with `an enlarged head 13 that is also provided witlia concave depression adapted to accommodate the steering knuckle. ballcfl. Thus, each ball 4 is held on one side by one of the disks 11 yand on the other by one of the Yplungers 12. A

and bears against a suitable disk or washer 15 that is mounted `in the bore 'of each end fitting 7 against the end of the sleeve 6. 1

In order to adjust '.the center distances or to adjust for wear orthe like, it is onlyN 80 necessary to loosen the bolts that clamp the end fittings andsleeves onto the cross tube, and then manipulate the threaded sleeves until the desired adjustment is obtained.

The abovel described cross tube construction is simple and it is very easily assembled and adjusted. It reduces to a minimum the distances'between the steering knuckle balls and 'the ends of the cross tube, thus preventingfinterference between the cross tube and the tires of the automobile. Obviously numerous changes may be made without departing, from the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construct-ion shown.' 95

What I' claim is: f f l. lA steering gear construction compris- 'ing a cross tube` having threaded ends, a

tubulary sleeve havin threaded engagement f with the thread of t e cross tube and also having threaded engagement with a tubular itting, said sleeve being split endwise and said fitting being also split endwiseand prolvided with lugs, clamping bolts extending throughk said lugs, a'disk mounted to move 105 endwise of said fitting andybearing against the end of said sleeve, andla spring-positioned plunger inside of said fitting having at4 its end a. bearing portion adapted to cooperate With a counterpart bearing member on an arm of the steering knuckle.

2. A steering gear construction comprising a cross tube having threaded ends, a tubular sleeve having threaded engagement with the thread of the cross tube and also having threaded engagement with a tubular fitting, said sleeve and said fitting being split endwise and provided With lugs, clamping bolts extending through said lugs, a disk mounted to move endwise of said fitting and bearing against the end of said sleeve, and a spring-positioned plunger inside of said fitting having at its end a bearing portion adapted to cooperate with a counterpart bearing member on an arm of the steering knuckle, and a seat for said bearing member of the steering knuckleaarrn in the end of said fitting opposite said plunger.

3. A steering gear construction comprising a cross tube having threaded ends, a tubular sleeve having threaded engagement With the thread of the cross tube and also having threaded engagement with a tubular fitting, said sleeve being split endW'ise and said fitting being also split endwise and provided With lugs, clamping bolts extending through said lugs, a disk mounted to move endwise of said fitting and bearing against the end of said sleeve, and a spring-positioned plunger inside of said fitting having at its end a bearing portion adapted to cooperate vvith a counterpart bearing member on an arm of the steering knuckle, and a seat for said bearing member of the steering knuckle arm in the end of said fitting' opposite said plunger.

Signed at Detroit, Michigan, this 23rd day of February, 1924.

LAURENCE RAY BUCKENDALE. 

